revealed it was three minutes until I was allowed to leave.
I glanced at Dr Melrose, who didn’t look like he was going anywhere and decided I would risk my other boss’s wrath. I could lie and say the clock was moving fast, or just tell her that Melrose was on my last nerve. Dr Vielle would probably understand.
With a hurried goodbye to Melrose, I slipped into the break room. I shrugged off my work vest before grabbing my handbag, clocking out and hightailing out of the pharmacy.
Christmas decorations detailed the streets, from tinsel-wrapped poles to cardboard Santas waving from windows. A thin layer of snow had graced the town, transforming the roads into icy lakes instead of winter wonderland.
My poor excuse for a car—4,000 dollars cash from Craigslist—was freezing on the inside. The heater didn’t work, but I rubbed my hands together at every stop, trying to form some semblance of warmth.
We lived outside of town, at the edge of a dirt road, within the wild woods. The small, humble cottage had originally been the home of the groundskeeper when the town had a few more wealthy inhabitants, but overtime had been turned into a small house available for rent.
Potted plants dotted every available surface, even lining the stairs up to the porch. The walls and windows were covered in shriveled vines, winter causing my beautiful flowers to wilt. A well-worn path led up to the house, little footprints in the dirt.
I slammed the car door close, excited to get into the warm house, when something caught my eye.
Among the surrounding trees, I could make the shape of a vehicle. There were a few other cottages dotted over the land, with their own driveways. But none were on the left, or so close to my own.
I took a step forward, my heart racing as the snow crunched beneath my foot.
Someone could’ve gotten lost, I told myself. Or maybe it’s a delivery for the more rural inhabitants.
My hand itched to dial the authorities, or the local sheriff. Someone with enough status that the vehicle might be frightened enough to leave.
But if it was who I thought it was, then some small-time sheriff wasn’t going to intimidate them.
The door slammed. “Mama!”
I turned to see my toddler bolting down the stairs, not holding onto the railing, but instead taking his chances. He landed with an oomph but was not deterred and continued his running towards me.
“Sorry, Miss Strindberg!” The babysitter called from the porch, huffing from trying to catch her charge. “He’s too fast.”
My son collided into my legs, gripping them tight. “Mama’s home!”
I smoothed down his blonde hair. “Yes, I am. Now inside. You don’t even have a coat on.”
He shook his head.
I peeled his arms off me and crouched in front of him. “Nikolai,[S12] you’ll catch your death if you stay out here.”
My son sent me a goofy grin. I knew he understand what I meant, but it was getting him to care that was the real challenge.
“Come on,” I coaxed, rising back to my feet. “I’m going inside. Do you want to be out here all by yourself?”
That convinced him. Nikolai darted ahead, nearly sweeping his babysitter off her legs. She followed him back inside, urging him to brush snow off his feet before he trekked it all through the house.
I checked the woods again but found no vehicle.
Paranoia had been my closest companion these few years, but I knew it wasn’t rooted in folly. If I felt unsettled, there was a good reason for it.
Inside was lovely and warm, even if it was a mess. Neither Nikolai nor I were tidy people, so the house could get nuclear before I decided to clean it. His toys and my books littered the space, as well as shoes and scarves, empty cups and cat hair. Chaotic, but home.
Nikolai pulled himself onto the couch, fishing out a stick. From the ice still clinging to it, he must’ve picked it up on a walk.
My mind flashed back to the vehicle. Had they seen Nikolai?
“Mama, look!” He held up his stick.
“Very cool.” I gave him a little clap.
The babysitter, a sweet girl who was on her college break and visiting home, was anxious to leave. She hadn’t given me many details about why she couldn’t babysit Nikolai all night, but from the flush of her cheeks, I suspected a boy was involved.
I watched her leave, unable to see the vehicle, but unable to stop myself from making sure she left safely.
“Did you have fun